Jonathan inaugurated the committee on November 17, 2011 and saddled it with the responsibility of reviewing all outstanding ossies on recent constitutional conferences organised in the country.
Submitting the report to President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria said the committee critically appraised the recommendations of recent constitutional conferences with a view to determining their relevance to national development.
He said, “The main report is the summary of the committee’s position vis-a-vis the recent constitutional conferences with respect to proposals and provisions for the fundamental rights of citizens, judiciary, executive, legislature, devolution of powers, schedules and lists in the 1999 constitution (as amended).
“The committee also viewed many parts of the constitution. In particular, we put new visions into creating an optimally independent, incorruptible and stabilising local government system that shall always be administered by democratically elected officials that must be accountable, responsive to local needs, directed, controlled and sanctioned by appropriated laws.
“In our view, this is necessary in order to deepen the principles of democracy and sound resource management at the grass roots where it really matters.
“Of special significance is that we also looked at the judiciary vis-a-vis the bar, which is just one. The procedures we inherited from the colonial times which were originally meant for jury has not helped the speedy dispensation of justice.
“The British have done away with the procedures while we still insist on them as sacrosanct, which is unfortunate. That is why we believe that the Chief Justice of Nigeria must be empowered to set up a council to from time to time set up rules of court both civil and criminal and the councils should be representative of the judiciary, the bar, the private sector and government.”
Belgore said the problem area would be in the criminal procedure because the nation’s criminal laws were at great divergence, that is the penal code and the criminal code.
To solve this problem, the ex-CJN said it would be better for the President to set up a panel to look into the possibility of a unified modern criminal legislation.
He said if the reforms in the judiciary system and the enabling legislation were carried out, there would be uniformity in the criminal law.
He added, “There are three countries that will achieve great heights if they are left in stability for a continuous period of 20 years.
“These are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Brazil and Nigeria. They are greatly endowed with everything- population, landmass and wonderful vegetation, very rich soil, well-watered even in the semi desert and above all, almost limitless supply of liquid and soil minerals.
“If our country can achieve up to 40,000 megawatts in electric power generation, it will be so easy to heavily industrialise it and create employment for Nigerians. And with our neighbours coming here to work in a situation whereby all our raw materials will be in the country, unlike the industrialised countries of North America, Europe, India, China etc.”
Jonathan, while receiving the report, said the presentation signalled a defining moment in the nation’s quest for the consolidation and entrenchment of democratic ideals in Nigeria’s political and governance processes.
The President said, “Though the present constitution has served the nation well, the general consensus is that it requires review and amendment in view of gaps that have become evident in our attempt to operationalise it over the last 13 years.
“The committee’s mandate included the preparation of a legislative bill that would be sent to the National Assembly for debate and consideration in the proposed Constitutional Review exercise. In submitting its report today, the committee has fulfilled this charge.
He said the greatest asset of Nigeria’s democracy was the commitment of people at the grass roots to the ideals of transparency, accountability and good governance.
Jonathan said as the most visible arms of government, the integrity and functional capacities of the executive and legislature determine the quality of trust and reality of the social contract in any society.
“Their success and mutual reinforcement define the hope of our nation, while their excesses and shortcomings subvert the dreams of democratic transformation,” he said.
He said he welcome the decision of the committee which had made profound recommendations to strengthen the Legislature at all levels and also to demand conformity with extant national regulations in the conduct of their affairs.
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